UN warns wildfires and heatwaves are worsening global air quality

The World Meteorological Organisation has warned that wildfires and heatwaves are threatening global efforts to improve air quality and protect human health. In a bulletin published on Monday, the UN weather and climate agency said increasingly severe fires are raising exposure to toxic PM2.5 pollution. It said the trend risks undermining progress made in some regions to cut industrial and transport emissions.

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The agency linked the problem to climate change, saying scientists have associated it with more frequent and more intense heatwaves and wildfires. In its statement, the WMO said extreme wildfires are increasing and are causing major health consequences because smoke is highly toxic. It also said that while regulations in Europe and North America have reduced some industrial and transport PM2.5 emissions, exposure to fire-related PM2.5 has increased.

PM2.5 refers to microscopic particles and droplets smaller than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. The WMO said these particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, making them a health hazard. The bulletin also said the world needs better monitoring of pollutants such as aerosols, including black carbon and microplastics, as well as fine particles and ground-level ozone.

The warning matters because it places air quality and climate change in the same frame, rather than treating them as separate policy problems. The WMO said the two issues cannot be dealt with in isolation and called for complementary and coordinated policies. That message reflects a broader concern that gains from cleaner transport and industry can be offset by smoke from more frequent fire seasons.

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The bulletin also pointed to gaps in monitoring, saying some pollutants are widespread and potentially harmful to ecosystems but are not sufficiently tracked. It said this makes it harder for governments to measure the full impact of worsening fires and heatwaves on public health. The agency's comments add to a growing body of warnings from climate and health officials about the combined effects of extreme heat, smoke and polluted air.

What remains unclear from the bulletin is how quickly fire-related pollution is rising in different regions and where the health burden is greatest. The WMO did not provide a single global estimate in the material supplied, but it said the trend is already visible in increased exposure to smoke-related PM2.5. The next focus will be whether governments respond with stronger air-quality monitoring and policies that address both emissions and wildfire risk.

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